Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia Call for Gaza Ceasefire in 30th APEC Summit

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The leaders of Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, and Malaysia have issued a joint statement calling for an immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truce to end hostilities in Palestine's Gaza Strip.

The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry published the "Joint Statement of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia on the Occasion of the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco, the United States" on its website on Saturday, November 18, 2023.

In the statement, the leaders of the three countries expressed grave concern over the dire human suffering in Gaza and noted the adverse impact of all wars and armed conflicts occurring on the planet.

They further underlined that the conflicts could significantly affect the global economy and reiterated the message conveyed in the resolution on Israeli aggression adopted by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Arab League during the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit.

Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, and Malaysia also pushed for immediate, continuous, and uninterrupted provision of essential goods and services needed by civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The three countries expressed their belief that fair and lasting solutions to the conflict between Palestine and Israel can only be achieved through peaceful means, which are consistent with international law and United Nations resolutions.

They also emphasized the need for all parties to resolve the conflict by pursuing a two-state solution that divides Palestine and Israel based on pre-1967 borders, with Palestine controlling East Jerusalem as its seat of government.

The pre-1967 borders, also known as the Green Line, refer to demarcation lines that separate Israel from its neighboring countries. They are based on the 1949 Armistice Agreements signed between Israel and Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

The Israeli forces, however, neglected the border agreements and occupied even broader territories, including parts of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, in the aftermath of the Six-Day War in 1967.

Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, and Malaysia issued the joint statement in response to the deteriorating condition of over two million people in Gaza, who are trapped in their own homeland as a result of a tight Israeli blockade.

Israel has blocked the distribution of necessities to Gaza, which has led to scarcity of food, medicines, and fuel. All hospitals in the besieged enclave have stopped operating due to insufficient fuel.

According to the Palestinian Authority, at least 11,500 Palestinians, including 7,900 women and children, have been killed by Israeli forces. Meanwhile, 29,800 people have been injured in the violence so far.

ANTARA

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